1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an arranging system for simultaneously arranging a plurality of washers on a plurality of stud bolts, an arranging apparatus that is an apparatus for arranging the washers used in the arranging system, and a washer arranging method using the arranging system.
2. Description of Related Art
There are cases in which a work that is an object of assembly is fixed to a portion to which the work is to be assembled, using a plurality of screwing members (such as nuts and bolts), as is the case when fastening a wheel of a tire to a hub using a plurality of nuts. For example, in the work of fixing a wheel to a hub using nuts, when tightening the nuts, a worker typically first screws the nuts by hand, one at a time, by only a few threads onto stud bolts that are implanted in the hub, and then performs the final tightening of the nuts at a predetermined torque using a tool such as a torque wrench. In the main description below, screwing together a screwing member such as a nut or a bolt to a screwable member such as a stud bolt or a nut by only a few threads before final tightening will be referred to as “temporary tightening”.
However, if a worker temporarily tightens the nuts by hand one at a time, it takes time and is laborious, so a tool (a so-called multi-axis temporary tightening tool) capable of temporarily tightening a plurality of nuts simultaneously has been developed in order to perform temporary tightening work efficiently. For example, the technology described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2006-205274 (JP 2006-205274 A) that will be described below is well known.
The multi-axis temporary tightening tool according to the related art described in JP 2006-205274 A includes a driving gear that rotates by driving means, a plurality of driven gears, a toothed belt that is wound around the driving gear and the plurality of driven gears and transmits the rotation of the driving gear to the plurality of driven gears, and a plurality of socket portions that are connected to the plurality of driven gears and engage with bolts or nuts. The driving gear is arranged in the center of a main body portion of the multi-axis temporary tightening tool, and the plurality of driven gears and socket portions are arranged around the driving gear in the main body portion. With this kind of structure, the plurality of socket portions are able to be simultaneously rotatably driven, thus making it possible to temporarily tighten the plurality of bolts or nuts or the like simultaneously, by inputting rotary force to the driving gear.
However, when temporarily tightening nuts using the multi-axis, temporary tightening tool according to the related art described in JP 2006-205274. A, the nuts must be arranged beforehand in each of the plurality of sockets. Conventionally, a worker manually arranges the nuts in the sockets, so the work of temporary tightening takes time and is laborious. Also, just as when arranging nuts by hand, when arranging washers on the stud bolts to which the nuts are screwed, a worker typically arranges the washers on the plurality of stud bolts by hand, and this work of arranging the washers also takes time and is laborious.
Also conventionally, an apparatus for adjusting the postures of the washers or the like and supplying the washers or the like to a desired position has been developed. For example, the technology described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 6-8072 (JP 6-8072 A) that will be described below is well known. With the supplying apparatus (i.e., a thin plate-shaped work separating and removing apparatus) for washers or the like according to the related art described in JP 6-8072 A, an inclined bottom surface is provided in a hopper, and a separation chute that can be raised and lowered is provided adjacent to the lowest portion of the bottom surface. By raising and lowering the separation chute, an individual thin plate-shaped work is engaged and sequentially transferred from the hopper by its own weight through the separation chute and a fixed chute. This kind of supply apparatus for washers or the like is able to separate and remove thin plate-shaped works one by one with a simple structure. Moreover, the hopper is not vibrated nor is the thin plate-shaped work swept up by a scraper, so noise from vibration and the like is suppressed, which improves the work environment. In addition, the thin plate-shaped work is able to be prevented from being damaged.
However, it is difficult to use a supply apparatus for washers or the like according to related art, such as the supply apparatus described in JP 6-8072 A, for the purpose of arranging washers in positions corresponding to the stud bolts: Also, an apparatus capable of efficiently arranging washers in positions corresponding to stud bolts does not exist, so a worker must arrange the washers on the stud bolts by hand, and as a result, temporary tightening work takes time and is laborious.